We’re a nation of animal lovers, so it’s likely you’ve thought about introducing a pet into your family at some point. Here are some things to consider before making the commitment.
Why do you want a pet?
Understanding your motivations for getting a pet can help you decide whether your family is genuinely ready to welcome an animal into your lives. It can help guide your decision making process and ensure all your expectations are aligned. Some common motivations include:
Companionship
A pet can be a source of companionship, offering love and emotional support. This is especially true where there are children who are learning to build relationships and develop empathy. Pets can also facilitate social interaction both within the family and outside of it, by being conversation starters with neighbours or at the park.
Teaching responsibility
Having a pet is seen as a way for children to learn about responsibility and commitment. Taking care of an animal’s needs, such as feeding, grooming, and exercise, can help instil a sense of duty and teach valuable life skills. But it’s important to remember that, as a parent and adult, the responsibility for caring for any pet is yours because children’s available time for walking a dog or cleaning out guinea pigs will change, depending on their age and educational demands.
Exercise and play
A pet, especially a dog, can provide an incentive for regular physical activity and outdoor play, which can be great for the health and wellbeing of the entire family.
Stress relief
Research shows that interacting with pets can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. The presence of a pet can have a calming effect on family members and promote emotional wellbeing.
It's important to discuss and evaluate the motivations behind wanting a pet, and what species of pet, as a family. This can help ensure that everyone is on the same page about the decision and that the chosen pet will fit into the family's lifestyle and expectations.
Is everyone in your family on board with getting a pet?
You might be excited to get a pet – but is that feeling shared by others in your family? While different people will naturally have different levels of excitement, it’s important to make sure all family members are on board for a range of reasons.
Emotional commitment: When everyone is emotionally invested in the pet, it creates a supportive and loving environment for the animal. If a family member is not on board, they might not connect with the pet, leading to potential conflicts and a stressful environment for both the family and the animal.
Shared responsibility: Taking care of a pet involves various tasks and responsibilities that need to be shared among family members. Having everyone’s agreement ensures that these duties are willingly distributed and that no one feels burdened or resentful.
Household dynamics: A pet can affect household dynamics, impacting family member’s relationships with one another. If someone is not on board with the decision, they may become frustrated with the pet’s presence or the changes it brings, potentially leading to conflicts or strained relationships.
Lifestyle adjustments: Owning a pet often involves lifestyle adjustments, such as changes in daily routines, travel plans, holidays or even housing arrangements. It’s essential to consider if your home is suitable for whichever pet you’re considering. Of course, a large dog will need much more space than a smaller pet such as a hamster or a pair of rabbits, but smaller pets need space where their hutches or cages are safe and warm, along with plenty of space to exercise and explore. Like most of us, most pets welcome some time when they can be on their own to sleep but need people around at other times. If you’re all out of the house for long periods of time regularly, will that be stressful for your pet. Ensuring that everyone is on board with the changes that a new pet will bring means that they understand and accept these potential changes and are prepared to adapt accordingly. Your local vet or the RSPCA will have information about the needs of most varieties of pet, to help you make the right decision.
Having open and honest discussions with all family members about their thoughts and feelings regarding a pet is vital. Address any concerns or hesitations and work together to reach a consensus before moving forward. This collaborative approach will increase the likelihood of successfully incorporating a pet into your family.
Can you provide what a pet needs?
Owning a pet is a big responsibility, and although they can bring a lot of happiness to families, it’s important you make sure the pet experiences that happiness too. We asked our friends at the RSPCA to share their advice for meeting pet needs. This is what they had to say...
From a legal perspective, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 introduced the ‘Five Welfare Needs’ all pet owners need to provide. These include:
- Suitable environment in which to live
- Suitable diet and fresh/clean water
- To exhibit natural behaviours
- The company they need
- Protection from pain, injury and disease
These are only basic requirements though, there are lots of other things pet owners can do to ensure their pets live a good life.
For example, providing the needs of a rabbit
Rabbits are often seen as a good ‘starter pet’ for children. But did you know, they’re actually not as easy to care for as people think? Here’s what it takes to meet the welfare needs of a rabbit:
Companionship
Rabbits like company and can really struggle if kept alone. That means it’s best to get two: neutered male and neutered female rabbits make the best combination, but it’s always important to make introductions carefully. Even rabbits that have lived happily together for a long time will need safe re-introductions if they have been separated for any reason, such as a vet visit (though it’s always recommended that both rabbits are taken together for vet visits, even if only one of them needs to be seen).
Environment
Having somewhere suitable and safe to live is really important for happy rabbits. While hutches are commonplace for rabbits, they don't give them the space they need. Rabbits like to sit up and hop, which isn’t possible to do in a hutch. Making sure rabbits have constant access to both a secure shelter and a large, safe exercise area gives them lots of space to perform all their natural behaviours and will really help improve their quality of life.
Diet
Contrary to popular belief, carrots are not a good source of food for rabbits! Although a small piece is fine as an occasional treat, carrots contain a lot of sugar and rabbits wouldn’t naturally eat these in the wild. Grass and/or good quality hay should be the main source of food for rabbits. This helps to wear down their continually growing teeth and keep their tummies healthy. Read more about rabbit diets here.
Natural behaviour
All animals should have the opportunity to carry out behaviours that come naturally to them and this is no different for rabbits. Rabbits like to socialise, to dig, explore, forage, and hop. They also need to be able to hide if feeling scared. Providing rabbits with enrichment such as toys will help to prevent them getting bored.
Protection from pain, injury and disease
Rabbits can be vulnerable to infectious diseases and illnesses, especially dental problems (rabbit teeth grow really quickly!), so it’s important to carry out daily health checks and also regular vet visits. Rabbits are very good at hiding pain, so it’s even more important to keep on top of their health. Make sure they have regular vaccinations to help protect them from some nasty diseases too. Always speak to your vet if you have concerns about your rabbits’ health.
The RSPCA has lots more useful information all about rabbits and the care they need here.
This piece was written in collaboration with our friends the RSPCA. For more information on coping with pet loss, visit the RSPCA website.
If you feel you are able to meet the needs of a pet, why not consider adopting a rescue? The RSPCA has lots of animals looking for a good home;
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